Stake pocket



W. J. VIGUE STAKE POCKET pril 1, 1941.

Filed April l5, 1940 SheeTfs-Sheet l Aprii 1, 1941. l W, J. WGUE 2,236,883

STAKE POCKET Filed April l5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zhwentor Patented Apr. 1, 1941 STAKE POCKET William J. Vigue, Orolino, Idaho, assignor of onefourth to Charles E. Lashly and one-fourth to Herman A. Stone, both of Oroiino, Idaho Application April 15, 1940, Serial No. 329,596

6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in a stake pocket for use in connection with load carrying vehicles where it is desirable to have simple, efficient releasable means for retaining the lower ends of stakes arranged along the side of the vehicle. While my invention is lapplicable to a multitude of uses in connection with wagons, sleighs, railroad cars, trailers and automotive trucks, I shall describe the details and use thereof as though the device were installed on a motor vehicle for transporting logs.

It has been an object of my invention to provide a stake pocket adaptable to simple and compact construction of rugged materials and having a minimum number of parts ior ease of operation.

' Another object of my invention has been the provision of releasing means for stake pockets, which means are composed of a very few parts and are bolt actuated from a remote point in order that when a, stake, under great pressure from a load contained by it is to be released, the means will operate easily and Without unnecessary application of force.

A further object of my invention has been to provide release means for stake pockets which are wholly and completely operable from a remote point in order to remove the operator from the danger of injury as the load is dumped.

Still another object of my invention has been to provide a stake pocket capable of installation on the bed of a carrier vehicle without alteration or rearrangement of the parts of the'vehicle.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specilfcation, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the same, and

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a carrier body stake and a stake pocket arranged as installed on a carrier, the vehicle being indicated by dashed lines,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a Vehicle body stake with a portion in section for further illustration,

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevation View of a stake pocket in the locked position with hidden elements indicated by dashed lines,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the stake pocket oi Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5 5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view taken on the same plane as Figure 5, but illustrating the movement of the actuator bolt, and links,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the latch jaw and pivot pin assembly, and

Figure 8 is a, Vertical sectional View taken along line 8-8 of Figure 4.

Referring now to Figure 1, the numeral I0 indicates an axle supporting the conventional leaf spring I2 and truck frame I4. 'I'he usual dual wheels are indicated at I6. Upon the-frame I4 is provided the truck or load carrying bed I8 which, in the case of logging trucks usually consists of a series of cross timbers approximately eight inches by ten inches or ten inches by ten inches in cross section.

The usual manner of providing such vehicles with stake pockets is to attach them to the ends of these cross timbers. The numeral refers to a mounting plate adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured to the vehicle bed. A concave seat 22 is supported from said plate between a U-shape-d latch enclosing strap 24 standing out from said plate, and a pair of pivot ears 26, 26. A stake seat plate 28 is fastened to the lower edge of the concave seat 22 and serves to prevent a stake, seated in said pocket from sliding therethrough. A stake retainer pin 36 is supported from the upper inner face of the concave seat and coacts with the stake in a manner later to be described.

Through the ears 26, 26 is passed the clamp strap pivot bolt 32 having th-e upper enlarged head 34 and the retaining nut 36. The clamp strap 38, which is approximately semi-circular, has a pivot loop 39 along one vertical edge, Which loop engages the bolt 32. Along the opposite edge of the clamp strap is the angular lug 40, and at points spaced apart from each other is a pair of latch-jaw receiver openings 42, 42. The lug 40, when the clamp is closed, lies parallel to and in close abutment with one edge of the concave seat and the two elements form an encircling pocket as is well seen in Figures 4 and 5.

The jaw pivot pin 44 is supported between th-e upper and lower outstanding arms 45, 45 of the U-shaped strap 24. A pair of pivoted latches 46, 46 each having a latch jaw 43, are mounted on pin 44. A connector pivot pin 49 passes through the latches 46, 46 and pivotally engages a pair of connector links 50, 58 which are separated from each other by a spacer bushing.

In the plate 20 I form a slide trunnion 54 in which is slidably seated the actuator bolt 56 which has a frusto-conical nose 51. The strap 24 has formed in it the seat .58 for the bolt 56 and said seat is partially tapered at 59 to receive the frusto-conical nose 51.

Through hole 60 in the bolt, and holes 6I, 6I in the links 50, 50, is passed pin 62 which securely fastens the links to the bolt, one on either side thereof for operative action of the latches 46, 46 upon advancing or retarding movement of the actuator bolt.

The bolt 56, as may best be seen in Figure 1, is adapted for remote movement by means of the bolt extension 64 secured thereto by the connector 66. The bolt extension has a conventional handle 68. Guides 69, 69 on the side of the memin connection with my stake pocket if formed of tubular steel such fas shown in Figures 1 and 2,

although a wooden stake or any other type may i well be used under certain conditions. In such a stake lil, I provide the hole 'H cooperable With the pin 3i] on the concave seat 22. To the upper end of the stake may be attached a cross chain 12 which may be tightened across the top of a load by any conventional tightening means not shown.

In order to illustrate the unloading of a vehicle equipped with devices of my invention, I refer to Figure 1. There, in solid lines, I show the stake pocket and stake and in dashed lines a suggested load. 'When the handle is |.drawn to the left in the ligure, the bolt 5t is Withdrawn from its seat 58, 59 and the links 50, 5i) are caused to move from the'partialiy shown solid line position of Figure 5 to the dotted line posi-tion of the same iigure. This movement of the links 50, 5i! causes the latches 45, it to pivot on pin M and the latch jaws 48, 48 are Withdrawn from their engagement on the lug itl and in the jaw receiver openings 42, 42.

When the lug` t0 is completely freed of the restraining effect of the jaws on the pivoted latches, the weight of the load causes the stake Iii to swing out of its seat in the pocket and, as indicated in Figure l, it assumes the dashed line yposition there shown. Due to the fact that the upper end of-the stake isv secured to the chain T2, the load merely rolls out under the lower end of the stake and when the loading is completed the stake will usually be found lying oni the truck bed.

It will thus be seen that a person operating vthe release mechanism of my stake pocket can place himself Well out of the Zone into which the vehicles load i-s to be dumped for his safetys sake.

A suitable 'lock and safety mechanism will usually be provided to prevent the accidentalor unauthorized actuation of the bolt 56, and in View of ythe multiplicity of forms such device may assume, I have not illustrated any such means and am content to merely mention it as it forms no part of my invention.

'explain a preferred form and embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that this specification and these drawings are merely ilf lustrative and that such changes in the invention `may be made as are fairly Within the scope and spirit ofA the subjoined claims.

Having thus fully .described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A stake pocket comprising a mounting plate having thereon a concave seat,'a pair of pivot ears, and a U-shaped latch'enclosing strap; a clamp strap piVotallysup-ported in said pivot ears and closing said concave seat to form a stake receiving pocket; a latch pivot pin supported inthe upper and lower arms ofthe U- shaped latch enclosing strap and supporting thereon a latch jaw cooperable with the free edge of said clamp strap to hold said clamp strap vin closed position against said concave seat; a

bolt slidably supported in said mounting plate supported adjacent the free edge of the clamp and seated on said U-shaped strap- When the bolt is in the locked position; and a connector link pivotally connected to said bolt and said latch Jaw.

`2. A stake pocket comprising a mounting plate having thereon a concave seat, `a pair of pivot ears, and a U-shaped latch enclosing straps; a clamp strap pivotally supported in said pivot ears and closing said concave seat to form a stake receiving pocket; a latch pivot pin supported in the upper and lower arms of the U- shaped latch enclosing strap and supporting thereon a hook-shaped latch jaw cooperable with the free edge of said clamp strap to hold said clamp strap in closed position against said concave seat; a bolt slidaoly supported in said mounting plate and seated on said U-shaped strap when the bolt is in the locked position; anda connector link pivot-ally connected to said bolt and said latch jaw.

3. A stake pocket comprising a mounting plate having a concave seat thereon and a seat plate partially closing the lower portion of said co-ncave seat; a stake retainer pin in sai'd concave seat; a clamp strap pivotally supported from said vmounting plate and closing said concave seat to form `a stake receiving pocket; latch means pivotally supported adjacent the free edge of the clamp strap and cooperable therewith to hold said clamp strap in closed position against said concave seat; a bolt slidably supported in said mounting plate; and `a connector link pivotally connected to said bolt and said latch means.

4. A stake pocket comprising a mounting plate having a concave seat thereon; a clamp strap pivctally supported from said mounting plate and closing said concave seat to form a stake receiving pocket; la hook-shaped latch jaw pivotally strap and cooperable therewithA to hold said clamp strap in closed position against said concave seat; a bolt slidably supported in said mounting plate; and a connector link pivotally connected to said bolt and said latch jaw.

5. A stake pocket comprising a mounting plate having a concave seat thereon; a clamp strap pivotally supported from said mounting plate and closing said concave seat to form a stake receiving pocket, said clamp strap having latchjaw receiving openings; latch jaws pivotally supported adjacent the free edge of the clamp str-ap and cooperable with said latch-jaw receiving openings to hold said clamp strap in closed position against saidconcave seat; a bolt slidably supported in said mounting plate; and a conhector link pivotally connected to said bolt and said latch jaw.

6. A stake pocket comprising a mounting plate having thereon a concave seat and a U-shaped latch enclosing strap having a tapered bolt seat; a clamp strap pivotally supported from said mounting plate and closing said concave seat to form a stake receiving pocket; latch means pivotally sup-ported adjacent the free edge ofthe clamp strap and cooperable therewith to hold said clamp strap in closed position against said concave seat; a bolt slidably supported in said mounting plate and having a frusto-conical nose associated with said bolt seat when the bolt is in locked position; and a connector link pivotally connected to said bolt and said latch means.

WILLIAM J. VIGUE. 

